Asbury Park VFW Interested in Buying Neptune Post

The commander of the Harold Daley VFW Post 1333 of Asbury Park said the post is interested in purchasing the O’Brien-Major VFW Post 2639, located at 1515 Corlies Ave., Neptune which has been vacant for two years.

The Asbury Park post officials recently sold their building at Bond Street and Lake Avenue in Asbury Park and are looking for a new home.

“We want to be an asset within the community,” said Harold Daley Post Commander Robert Jameson speaking of the interest in the Neptune building.

Jameson said he has heard there have been other offers on the Neptune post but he said he would hope the Asbury Park post would be given preference.

The Asbury Park post was purchased by Douglas Jemal, a developer who specializes in rehabilitating old buildings. He owns Douglas Development in Washington, DC. According to his company’s website they have been in business for 30 years and have earned a reputation in DC and surrounding areas for revitalizing underdeveloped, emerging areas.

Jameson said Jemal is allowing the post to use the building until they are able to relocate.

“He’s all about the veterans, in the interest of the veterans he is letting us stay here,” he said. “He has been outstanding for us.”

There has been some concern, however, about a clause in the 1947 deed to Neptune property.

Michael D. Fornino, a Neptune resident, said he researched the deed and it reads “This conveyance is made under the authority of and pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 40:60-40.1 which provides that the hereinbefore described lands and any buildings now or hereafter erected shall be used only for the purposes of the organization or association of veterans, and not for commercial business, trade or manufacture, and if the said property is no longer used for the purposes for which it is conveyed it shall revert to the grantor.”

Neptune Township is the grantor.

Township Business Administrator Vito Gadaleta said the township has no interest in gaining control of the property.

“Right now, there are the current Neptune owners that want to sell the property and they asked the township to remove the reverter clause from the deed,” Gadaleta said.

Gadaleta said that the reverter clause would not allow for a clean transfer of title, anyway, and that it is pretty much a dead issue.

“The matter is ongoing. We are aware of the interest of the Asbury Park post but we are taking no further action taken this time,” he said.